


Gratitude and Thanks

by goodgirlfaith (boomersoonerash)



Series: Bite Sized Fics [8]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Awkward Crush, Awkwardness, Canon Compliant, Community: comment_fic, Dinner, Drabble, Fluff, Friendship, Gay Male Character, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Male Slash, Pie, Pining, Prompt Fill, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 14:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6757789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/goodgirlfaith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl shows his gratitude and thanks to Jesus by making him a pie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gratitude and Thanks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cozy_coffee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cozy_coffee/gifts).



> Written for a prompt at comment_fic: Any, any, apple pie

Daryl chewed on his lip nervously as he stood in his kitchen, helping Maggie fix the pie that he was making. It had taken him several days to get all the supplies together once he had figured out what Jesus' favorite pie was and now here he was making it for him as a thank you for taking care of him after his gunshot to the arm.

Yeah the doctor at Hilltop had helped too but Jesus well he had refused to leave Daryl's side and would do anything that Harlan needed or wanted and Jesus had been the best little nurse that Daryl could ask for.

"You know," Maggie spoke interrupting the silence they had been working in. "I think Paul is going to like this," she smiled and Daryl paused to look at her, wondering when she had started to call Jesus, Paul. But then again she had been at Hilltop too, taken there because she had been close to miscarrying, even more so after Glenn had died thanks to Negan and so maybe she too had gotten close to Jesus.

Though Daryl didn't think it was close enough that she was calling him Paul now but well obviously he was wrong.

"Yeah, yeah," Daryl huffed out in response, hoping that she was right though he didn't want to seem too overly sentimental. He didn't like damn romance novel type shit and yet here he was in what seemed like a romance novel type situation. Making a pie for Jesus out of gratitude.

If only Merle could see him now, Merle would be calling him whipped and a fucking pansy.

Maggie just laughed softly beside him and out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she rested a hand on her swollen belly. Her bump now visible thanks to her being eight months pregnant.  
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"Didn't think you'd come by tonight," Daryl spoke as he looked at Jesus as the other man sat at his kitchen table, a ritual that had started once Daryl had came back to the Safe-Zone after he was healed up. A ritual in which Jesus showed up at his house every night for dinner, under the guise that he wanted to make sure that Daryl was okay.

Daryl half suspected though there was more to it than that but well he didn't want to think about it. Just like he didn't want to think about his pie making meaning something more than just simple gratitude for the man. There were just some feelings he wasn't ready to explore even if his gunshot had been a reminder that time was short now days.

"Couldn't miss your good cooking," Jesus smiled and Daryl swore whenever he smiled his eyes shined a bit brighter. "Probably better than any meal I've ever ate at Hilltop."

Blushing Daryl had to look away from Jesus briefly. "I doubt that," he said as he shook his head. "All I ever make is stuff with deer meat."

"And it's the best damn deer meat I've ever had," Jesus smiled more before taking a few more bites.

Again Daryl wanted to protest and say that it was probably the first time the man had ever tried deer meat but he didn't. Instead he stayed silent until they both finished their meals.

Once the meals were complete, Daryl found himself blushing again as a bunch of butterflies began to collect in his stomach. 

"I made dessert tonight," Daryl revealed watching as Jesus eyed him curiously. "My way of finally saying thanks for taking care of me at Hilltop," he stated as he stood from the table and walked towards, the stove, opening the oven where he had placed the pie to keep it warm.

"Pretty sure Harlan did most of the helping," Jesus spoke obviously trying to give most of the credit to the real doctor. "I was just there."

Daryl laughed slightly as he came back to the table and sat the pie down, "You didn't have to be there either but you where," he said knowing it was true. Jesus could have easily opted out of being there but he hadn't. He had stayed there by Daryl's side and obviously Maggie's for his own reasons.

"So I made you a pie out of gratitude and thanks," Daryl shrugged as he cut into the pie and put it on Jesus' plate.

"Apple," Jesus grinned as he saw just what kind of pie it was. "You fixed my favorite kind."

Daryl nodded in acknowledgement of Jesus' words. "Why do you think I had Eugene doing an awkward twenty-one questions like game with you on that run last month?" he asked before seeing realization hit Jesus. 

A realization that Daryl had planned this and been planning it for some time.

"You sure then it is just a pie of gratitude and thanks?" Jesus asked a bit playfully and if he wasn't so cute Daryl swore he'd punch him.

Swallowing harder, Daryl had to look away slightly as he fell silent because well he still wasn't ready to face the truth yet. Wasn't ready to admit that maybe he liked Jesus as more than a friend and that maybe this was a tiny gesture in proving it.

"Thanks though Daryl," Jesus finally spoke in Daryl's silence, more than likely realizing Daryl still wasn't ready to talk. "For the pie and not rejecting my efforts in being your friend and helping you when you needed it."


End file.
